I'm impressed with Ghana's performance – GTF President

1st Ghana Open International Taekwondo Championships came off at the Sports Hall of the Accra Sports Stadium from 18th to 19th August 2017.

Over one hundred athletes from 15 countries registered to participate in the just ended championships.

The president of Ghana Taekwondo Federation, Mr. Frederick Lartey Otu praised the organising committee and the sponsors for putting up such colourful event.

“This 1st Ghana Open Taekwondo championships being first of its kind, I must say that I am impressed about the patronage. The organising committee did very well to put up a whole event and I think the sponsors also did very well, the budget we estimated, we over spent because of the renovation of the sports hall. We didn’t anticipate to spend such amount.”

Ghana’s neighbouring country, Ivory Coast tops the medal table with 16 medals.

Eighteen (18) athletes from Ghana participated and won six (6) medals, three silver and three bronze but the president of Ghana Taekwondo said, he was excited about Ghana’s performance.

“A competition of such kind is not just winning medals, our athletes are new athletes. After we couldn’t qualify for Rio Olympic games all elites athletes retired so we are now grooming new athletes so I'm not surprised about how they performed, I’m even happy that they were able to win six medals, 3 silver and 3 bronze. This championship has given them exposure, they had opportunities to meet their opponents from other countries.”

The following are Ghanaians athletes who won medal in their various weight category;

+73kg – Nadia Sackitey (Silver)

-62kg – Mercy Asiateire (Silver)

-49kg – Henrietta Armah (Bronze)

-46kg – Kerzia Gbedze (Bronze)

-54kg – Addo Benson (Silver)

-68kg – Issah Safianu (Bronze)